Well this past week was certainly one of those weeks where not much went as planned. But that is the beauty of a meal plan – it is merely a guide to follow for less stressful meal preparation during the week. Some times it works and some times it doesn’t as unexpected things pop up at the moment or chaos at home makes dinner preparation next to impossible. So I improvised this week and we cleaned out the refrigerator while we were at it.
I did make some yummy treats besides what was planned but unfortunately I didn’t get the camera out to snap pictures! [Must be better about this.] I have an ice cream and yogurt machine that I don’t use nearly as often as I should. It is so easy! My brother-in-law has become quite the expert at making homemade ice cream with all kinds of funky flavors. He made this Coconut Lime Sorbet a few months ago that was so good. I finally made it myself and everyone declared it delciously light and creamy with the right balance of sweet and tart. My three year old absolutely loved it and thanked me for making it, which always melts my heart.
Last night we had friends over for dinner so I made our family favorite Maple Mustard Pork Tenderloin with roasted dill carrots, quinoa and a spinach salad. For dessert, we devoured these Baked Pumpkin Donuts which were fabulously light and fluffy with a hint of pumpkiny goodness. I had to redeem myself on the donut front after last week’s near miss with vegan donuts. The pumpkin donuts are not vegan though I did use almond milk in place of the milk and my dairy-free, soy-free butter brushed on the outside to help the cinnamon sugar coating stick.
Here is this week’s plan, with a few dishes bumped from last week:
Monday: Lentil Burgers with Honey Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns with a Spinach Salad and Tater Tots (yes, tater tots – special request from hubby and son)
Tuesday: Veggie Frittata with Rosemary Bread
Wednesday: Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala (subbing coconut milk for the cream) over Brown Rice with Broccoli
Thursday: Garden Turkey Meatballs and Spaghetti (subbing nutritional yeast for the parmesan cheese) and a Spinach Salad
Friday: Vietnamese Ginger Scallion Fish [verbal recipe from friend – need to perfect to post] with Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans
Saturday: Friend’s Birthday Party
Sunday: Anniversary Dinner Out! (5 years – can’t believe it!!)
I hope you all have a wonderful week! And for more menu inspiration, head over to Menu Plan Monday on I’m an Organizing Junkie.
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